Device for steaming tobacco.



-;r. BELL.

DEVICE FOR $TEAMING TOBACCO. A-PPLIOATION FILED APR. 30, 1907.

901,224; Patented 001;. 13,1908.

UNITED STATESPATENT \FFIQE.

JOHN A. BELL, OF BAGLEYS MILLS, VIRGINIA.

DEVICE FOR STEAMING TOBACCO,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 13, 1908.

Application filed April 30, 1907. Serial N 0. 371,112.

My invention is an apparatus for-steamingtobacco or other suband moistening leaf stances of that kind, and consists of a port-' able metal box,'having a water-receiver and drain-pipe and passing through it vertically several tubes, a flue, and a steam pipe adapt ed to carry the steam to a drying room.

This invention is adapted to be seated on a fire vault where the fire may be kept going; the box and pipe may be removed at any time. I do not claim anything for the fire vault, but only for the box and its attachments.

The manufacture of tobacco requires that the leaf be in a moist or soft condition, and yet not Wet, in order that it may be Worked conveniently. 7

My invention is for the purpose of steaming tobacco while hung up in a barn, or drying -room. After tobacco has been hung in a drying-room it often becomes so dry and brittle that the steaming process is necessary to dampen it.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1, is a perspective view of my invention, seated x on the fire vault, and having a steam pipe conducting the steam to the drying room. Fig. 2, is a longitudinal sectional view of my invention, the upper end of the steam pipe being broken away.

My invention is described as follows :The letter A, represents the portable box, preferably made of sheet metal so that it may be easily transported from place to place, and for the purposes of description I will assume that the length of the box runs with the rows of tubes, and the front end I designate by the numeral 1, the rear end by the numeral 2, the front side by the numeral '3, and the rear side by the numeral 4. Thisbox may be square, or it may be considerably longer than wide. There is, running through the box, a series of tubes, which I have designated by the numeral 5. There may be any, number of these tubes. They run through the bottom wall 6, and through the box and through the top wall 7, and are soldered or otherwise secured, water-tight, at each end to said walls.

There also runs vertically through the box a smoke fine 8, and running from the top of the box and near its front end is a steam pipe 9, having on its-upper end a coupling 10, and to said coupling is secured an additional steam pipe 11, which extends off from the steamer to the drying room. Of course it is understood that there are perforations in the lower and upper walls of the box for the tubes to pass through and larger perforations for the smoke flue to pass through, but there is no perforation in the lower wall for the steam pipe, as the lower end of said steam pipe is secured to the wall 7, which is perforated concentric with the lower end of the steam pipe. The lower ends of the tubes 5, and of the smoke flue 8, extend a little below the bottom wall 6, of the box, thus preventing the heat arising from the furnace from passing too rapidly through said tubes, thereby keeping strong and constant heat over the lower face of the lower wall of the box. There is attached to the outer face of the side wall 3, a waterreceiver 12, through which the box is filled with water, and through the rear wall is at tached a drain-pipe 13, and valve 14:.

My invention is operated as follows :A fire vault is located in proper position, and the box is placed on the walls thereof, the fire vault having no top. The heat from the fire passesup through the pipes 5, and as the smoke flue 8, is considerably larger than the pipes, most of the smoke and sparks pass out through this flue which may be covered with a spark protector, or may be elbowed and sent off a considerable distance from the drying room, if necessary. As this process heats all the pipes of the flue at once, the water is very soon heated and steam quickly generated.

Although I have specifically described the combination, construction and arrangement of the several parts of my invention I do not confine myself particularly to such specific combination, construction and arrangement, as I claim the right to make such changes and modification therein as may clearly fall within the scope of my invention, and which may be resorted to without departing from the spirit, or sacrificing any of. my patentable rights therein.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A box A, having perforations through its top and bottom walls; tubes 5, passing vertically through the smaller perforations, and secured water tight therein, their lower ends extending a little below the bottom wall 6; a smoke line 8, passing through the larger perforations, its lower end extending a little below the bottom wall, secured water-tight therein, its upper end extending above the top wall, and secured water-tight therein; a steam-pipe 9, secured water-tight to an opening in the upper wall of said box; a coupling 10, secured on the upper end of said pipe; 21 pipe 11, having one end secured in said coupling and the other running; olt to adrying-room, and a water-receiver 12, secured to said box, through which said box is filled with water, substantially as shown and described and for the purposes set :torth.

A tobacco steamer, consisting of a box, preferably made of sheet metal, having in its upper and lower walls perforations; tubes, passingvertically through said. box and said perforations, and secured watertight therein: a smoke tlue passing \uxrtically through said box and the two larger pertorations, and secured. water-tight therein, the lower ends of said tubes and line extending below the lower wall of said box. thus preventing the heat arising from the turnaee from passing too rapidly through said :lue and tubes; a steam-pipe secured water tight over a perforation through the top wall of said box; a coupling, secured on the top of said steam-pipe; a pipe, one end secured to said coupling; and the other passing" oii to a dryinga'omn. and a watenreceirer secured to said box, substantially as shown and described and for the purposes set 't'orth.

l n testimony whereof l a tlix my signature, in presenee of two witnesses.

JOHN A. BELL.

Witnesses Jojux ll. \VALL, E. lrl oMr-wis. 

